


Let's Give Them Something to Talk About

by EmpressOfEdge



Series: Bumbleby Week 2019 [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Bumbleby Week 2019, F/F, Fluff, Happy Ending, Mild Angst, One Shot, atlas ball, happy bb week yall, im hype
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-15
Updated: 2019-07-15
Packaged: 2020-06-29 01:36:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19819837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmpressOfEdge/pseuds/EmpressOfEdge
Summary: Yang doesn’t really see the appeal of the fancy balls the Atlas Elite hold. She was always the one up for a party back at Beacon, or ready to hit a club in town on the weekends. But here, everything is dull and grey, and dresses do nothing to help her feel better about herself.Dancing is supposed to be fun. Getting dressed up for a night out is supposed to be fun. Yet she feels so out of place, awkwardly leaning against one of the high-top round tables that are draped in gunmetal grey tablecloths, a strapless golden dress clinging to her body that’s making her feel a little more bare than she cares to think about.Happy Bumbleby Week! Let's get this started! :)Day 1: Atlas Ball





	Let's Give Them Something to Talk About

**Author's Note:**

> I'm hype to be contributing this year lol who's ready for beeeeees?

Yang doesn’t really see the appeal of the fancy balls the Atlas Elite hold. She was always the one up for a party back at Beacon, or ready to hit a club in town on the weekends. But here, everything is dull and grey, and dresses do nothing to help her feel better about herself.

Dancing is supposed to be fun. Getting dressed up for a night out is supposed to be _fun._ Yet she feels so out of place, awkwardly leaning against one of the high-top round tables that are draped in gunmetal grey tablecloths, a strapless golden dress clinging to her body that’s making her feel a little more bare than she cares to think about.

She’d have preferred to wear a suit, but their selection was limited on short notice; and she wasn’t about to make Jaune trade with her, just so she could cover her arms.

Yang sighs, picking up her champagne flute and swirling the bubbling liquid around, before scrunching her nose up and placing the drink back down.

Her hand lands flat on the table as her fingers slide off the glass and she’s struck by the sight of bright yellow on grey. She feels her shoulders tense as her fingertips rub against the cloth senselessly. She lets out another sigh.

Yang hadn’t really had a moment before where she’d actually felt overly self-conscious about having a prosthetic – until they’d arrived in Atlas. Honestly, given the fact it’s Atlas tech – and they are so military focused – she’d thought it would make things _more_ comfortable. However, she’d quickly realized that wasn’t the case.

The _upstanding_ citizens of Atlas seem content to live in their own little worlds, where there’s no outside threats, no wars being fought, no lives being lost; and to have such a stark reminder that people are out there _actually_ fighting, seems to make faces contort in discomfort and words to be muttered under hushed breaths.

Yang lets out a breath and closes her eyes. She’s beginning to see why Ironwood always wore a glove now.

“Not enjoying the party?”

The soft voice instantly eases some of the tension from her shoulders and she smiles, looking up to meet Blake’s eyes.

“You call this a party?” Yang asks, scanning the room.

Blake turns and takes a look for herself, a thoughtful frown on her lips. “There’s technically food, and some people are dancing. I suppose it has to qualify.”

Yang clicks her tongue. “Blake, _no,”_ she says with a shake of her head. “Come on, we both know it’s not a party until something _scandalous_ happens.” Blake giggles on the word ‘scandalous’ and Yang’s smile grows a little wider before she continues. “Atlesians need their party story to take home, after all.”

“Scandalous, huh?” Blake quirks an eyebrow, looking back at Yang. “Something like… a human sharing a dance with a Faunus?”

Blake’s hand is extended out in her direction and she hesitates, the smile slipping from her lips at the offer. It’s not that she doesn’t want to, it’s that she _does_. A lot. But there’s still a lot unspoken between them, a lot they haven’t mentioned; like the way Yang has taken to putting her arm around Blake’s shoulders whenever they sit near each other, or the way Blake seems to scoot a little closer until she does.

“Yang?”

The gentle prompt brings her out of her stupor and she looks up at Blake again.

Gods, she looks so gorgeous tonight. Yang always thinks that, but tonight she can’t help but think there are others thinking the exact same thing as her when they look at Blake. How could they not? Her new hairstyle defining the cut of her jaw, her eyes sporting just a little more eyeliner than usual, the tight black dress she’s wearing clinging to every perfect curve of her body…

Yang swallows hard and finally slips her hand into Blake’s. Her partner smiles and begins to lead them to the dancefloor and Yang can _feel_ the eyes in the room turn on them – harsh and judgmental and _cold_ , just like the rest of this godforsaken place.

But Blake’s hand curls just a little bit tighter around her own, soft and loving and warm, and the anxiety in her chest eases just slightly.

When they finally reach the dancefloor, Blake turns to face her and Yang’s finally faced with the challenge of figuring out where to put her hands. It shouldn’t be weird, because this isn’t their first dance, but it feels _different_ and Yang feels _nervous_. Her hand fidgets with Blake’s until Blake laces their fingers together and slips her free hand around to the small of Yang’s back.

Yang looks at her and Blake simply throws her a self-satisfied smirk, pulling her a little closer until Yang’s hand finally settles on her shoulder. As they start to sway to the music, her thumb trails over the back of Blake’s hand, and Yang thinks she’d give anything to be able to really feel it.

“I know, this whole ‘party’ sucks,” Blake says. “But…” She smiles as she steps a little closer; and Yang’s aware of every single part of their bodies that meet from the movement. Blake’s next words are a whisper against her ear that sends her heart racing. “This is kind of nice… don’t you think?” Though the words are playful, Blake’s voice betrays her, giving way to true curiosity that Yang finds herself smiling at.

“I do,” Yang says softly. She leans back just a bit, to look Blake in the eyes and her smile grows. “Actually, I think it’s a lot more than ‘kind of’ nice.”

Blake’s face lights up and Yang would do anything to keep her looking that happy forever. But then Blake finds her footing, and her lips curl into a smirk that is certainly not as vibrant, but no less attractive. She doesn’t say anything, but she does pull back slightly to twirl Yang once before guiding her back in, and once they’ve settled, Blake’s hand slips out of Yang’s to wrap both around her waist. Yang’s arms hang loosely over Blake’s shoulders and she smiles as they sway a little more casually to the music.

She doesn’t think much about it before she leans forward, closing her eyes as she rests her forehead against Blake’s. They stay just like that for a moment, and Yang’s content with the silence. With just being held in Blake’s arms as she returns the favor, but Blake lets out a slow breath and speaks quietly in the breath of space between them.

“I’m sorry this place is so hard on you.”

Yang’s eyes flutter open and her brow furrows. If anyone should be saying that it should be _her_. She isn’t oblivious to the endless waves of dirty looks and vicious slurs Blake’s been attracting since their arrival in Atlas. She’s been doing what she can to help – mostly just by being there with a reassuring hand at her back, or a comforting smile – but she can see it grates on Blake.

There were actually a few times Yang thought someone was going to get punched. Blake’s cool under pressure, no doubt, but sometimes her ears give her away. It’s not always loud, but sometimes it’s an irritated flick, or an involuntary turn and Yang has to wonder how she deals with it all.

Yang frowns, but Blake cuts her off with a shake of her head, her grip around Yang’s waist tightening just a little. “Don’t,” Blake says. “Don’t. I knew what I was getting myself into. I knew it was going to be hard to be a Faunus in Atlas. But _you._ ” Blake sighs. “You never should’ve had to deal with any of this.”

“But, Blake” Yang mutters, shuffling forward a little to bring Blake closer. She tucks a lock of hair behind Blake’s ear and lets her fingers travel along the line of her jaw. “Neither should you.”

Blake sighs. “I just said— You _know_ that’s not what I—”

“Blake,” Yang says, quiet but firm. “I don’t care what these people think about me.” When Yang says it, looking into the warm amber of Blake’s eyes, it’s the first time that night she feels like it’s true. She slides even closer, her hand slipping off of Blake’s face to play with the hair at the nape of her neck and she hears Blake’s breath catch. “Them staring at me for… for something that I did to—to bring us… _here_?” Yang shakes her head. “Gods, let them.” She ducks her head forward until it rests against Blake’s and she sighs. “I’d do it all over again, you know. Every time. In every life.” Her voice shakes a little as it lowers, a little unsure if she’s saying too much. Admitting too much. “I mean… we’re there for each other, right? Always? That’s what we do?”

Blake leans back a little and Yang’s worried maybe she’s said something wrong. She’s met with shiny eyes and a quivering bottom lip and Yang’s heart shatters because the last thing she wants is to make Blake cry. “I—shit, I’m sor—"

Yang doesn’t get the chance to finish her sentence let alone her thought because Blake’s suddenly cradling her jaw and pushing forward until their lips are brushing against each other, feather-light and nervous – but _so_ right.

Even though she realizes she probably _should,_ Yang does nothing. _Nothing._ She _can’t_. She can’t breathe, can’t close her eyes, can’t even will her lips to move against Blake’s because she’s so shocked that they’re _there._

Blake must realize it, because she pulls back blushing, her ears pinned down, and eyes darting down in embarrassment.

“I… I’m sorry. I don’t know why I…” Her eyes meet Yang’s again and Yang’s heart melts, because she realizes _this_ is what’s been simmering below the surface the last few weeks. This glorious, _glorious_ , shift in their relationship where Blake’s kisses are hers to receive. Where she can just…

She looks into Blake’s eyes and Blake’s eyes widen a little before glancing at her lips again. This time they both lean in until their lips meet again, soft but sure. Blake’s mouth opens against hers, sucking in a ragged breath before kissing her a little more deeply and Yang’s legs go a little weak as her hand tangles into Blake’s hair, eliciting a small sound of satisfaction from the back of her throat that sends a shiver throughout Yang’s entire body, goosebumps rising on the back of her neck.

She doesn’t intend for it to get heated in any way. It’s their first kiss, they’re in public, and physically she _wants_ to take this slow and do everything right because it’s _Blake._ But now that Blake’s lips are on hers _all_ of the tension that’s been building inside of her – inside of them – comes rushing to the surface and she feels her grip in Blake’s hair tighten as Blake’s tongue slips into her mouth. Feels Blake’s hands leave her jaw to lock her arms around her neck as her head tilts a little further to the side. Feels her sigh against her mouth as she sighs back, her shoulders sagging in the relief of _finally_ kissing her.

Yang thinks for a moment she could probably do this forever. Could probably stand here kissing the most beautiful, brave, and intelligent woman on the face of Remnant until the world stops spinning. However, she quickly realizes that’s not going to practical because the _room_ feels like it’s spinning. Still, it’s Blake that pulls back with a ragged gasp as Yang’s grip in her hair loosens until she’s simply toying with the soft strands of Blake’s hair.

They’re still close enough to breathe the same air. And Yang can still taste Blake on her tongue. Can still feel the tingle on her lips that lets her know Blake’s were _definitely_ just there.

Her eyes open slowly and she’s met with Blake’s closed ones and a beaming smile. They’re literally just standing in the middle of the dancefloor now, not even swaying, just existing in the space together, and Yang leans forward to leave one last peck against Blake’s lips.

When Yang opens her eyes again, she’s met with gold and she smiles. Blake smiles back for a moment, but it quickly starts to slip, her hands trail slowly to rest on Yang’s chest as her eyes bounce frantically between Yang’s own and her ears twitch nervously atop her head.

Yang’s eyebrows pinch up – nerves taking over – and she shifts to brush Blake’s bangs out of her eyes. “Are… was that o—?”

“I love you.” Blake’s voice is soft and shaky, but Yang can hear the sincerity, can see it in the way Blake’s cheeks flush bright red, can feel it in the way her entire body is shaking just slightly with nervousness.

Yang’s a little surprised to say the least, and so she again doesn’t respond right away. Her mouth tries to form words but just ends up opening and closing wordlessly. Blake sighs.

“You—you don’t have to… say it back or anything,” she says, looking down. She shrugs. “I just… I needed to—to let you know. It’s just… after _everything_ we’ve been through I don’t—I realized I don’t really want to keep wasting time. But I— I probably shouldn’t have actually said that _right now_ … it’s too early isn’t it? Gods, please, I’m sorry, just forget I even—"

“You love me?” It’s less a question of concern and more of disbelief. Of hope. Of needing reassurance, because Yang honestly can’t believe that Blake… that she… that she _loves_ her. Loves her the way…

Blake shakes her head with a watery smile, her fingers brushing gently over Yang’s collarbones. “I—of course I—”

Yang silences the rest of the sentence by capturing Blake’s lips with her own, swallowing her sound of surprise. She pulls back before they can get carried away again and rests her forehead against Blake’s. Her next words, not even a thought.

“I… I love you, too.”

Blake smiles. It’s bright and genuine, and Yang’s awestruck for about the tenth time that night.

When Blake leans forward this time, it’s for a hug, her arms slipping around Yang’s neck as Yang’s drop to snake around her waist and hold her close. Blake sighs against her, content, and Yang buries her nose into Blake’s neck, enjoying the scent of her perfume before leaving a soft kiss to the skin there.

Even though it’s all so new, it feels like something they’ve done forever, and Yang can’t imagine ever giving this up.

“So,” Blake says after a long moment. Yang pulls back to look at her and is met with a smirk. Blake raises her eyebrow. “Think that was scandalous enough for them?”

Yang laughs, then leans forward until they’re a breath apart. “I think we can do better.”

When Blake’s lips meet hers again, it’s with a smile.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> As always, please feel free to leave a comment or kudos or whatever! Literally, it always makes my day and it's very much appreciated :) 
> 
> Have a great day/ night and may the bees buzz strong this week and always. (I'm sleep deprived, don't mind me)


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